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There’s often a fine line between celebrity and politics \u2014 just ask Arnold Schwarzenegger<\/a><\/strong>. ZUMAPRESS.com \/ MEGA<\/p>\n Ronald Reagan<\/strong> truly set the blueprint for the celeb-to-politician pipeline. As you probably already know, our 40th president began his adult life as a Hollywood actor, appearing<\/a> in movies of the ’40s and ’50s, including Kings Row and The Winning Team.<\/p>\n Ron Adar \/ M10s \/ MEGA<\/p>\n Possibly the most glamorous entry on this list,And Just Like That actress Cynthia Nixon<\/strong> famously ran<\/a> for New York governor in 2018 as a Democrat, though she ended up losing the primary.<\/p>\n Xavier Collin\/Image Press Agency \/ MEGA<\/p>\n Arnold Schwarzenegger<\/a><\/strong> is very much of the Ronald Reagan school of Hollywood actor to major Republican politician. Having risen to extreme fame as the lead in the Terminator franchise, Schwarzenegger served<\/a> as governor of California between 2003 and 2011.<\/p>\n Aaron Schwartz – Pool via CNP \/ MEGA<\/p>\n As we all know, President Donald Trump<\/strong> was famous for decades before he arrived at the White House. He was known for being a socialite, businessman, TV personality and occasional cameo actor.<\/p>\n MEGA TheMegaAgency.com<\/p>\n Ben Savage<\/strong> is known for playing the lead in the Disney Channel TV show Boy Meets World in the ’90s, but in 2023, he ran<\/a> for Congress in California as a Democrat \u2014 though he didn’t end up winning.<\/p>\n ZUMAPRESS.com \/ MEGA<\/p>\n Matthew McConaughey<\/a><\/strong> has not not considered running for Texas governor, but at the time of writing, he has never launched a campaign. Speaking of the possibility in a 2025 interview with People<\/a>, the actor said, “It’s something I started looking into probably six years ago and something I’ve continued to study what that arena is, what it would mean, how could I be useful in it, would I be useful in it?”<\/p>\n JM11\/Joseph Marzullo\/WENN\/Newscom\/The Mega Agency<\/p>\n American Idol star Clay Aiken<\/strong> ran for election<\/a> as a U.S. House representative in North Carolina back in 2022, but unfortunately lost out in the Democratic primary.<\/p>\n Janet Gough \/ AFF-USA.COM \/ MEGA<\/p>\n Anson Williams<\/strong>, the actor best known for Happy Days, put his hat in the ring for mayor of Ojai, Calif., back in 2022, running as a non-politician. Talking about his decision to run in The Hollywood Reporter<\/a>, he said, “I really became perturbed at the division I saw happening in Ojai.” Williams ended up losing<\/a> the race by a close margin.<\/p>\n MEGA TheMegaAgency.com<\/p>\n The patriarch of the Duggar clan, Jim Bob Duggar<\/strong>, served<\/a> as a Republican State Representative in Arkansas in the late ’90s and early 2000s. However, when he sought election as a State Senator in 2021, he lost<\/a> in the party’s primary.<\/p>\n Aaron Schwartz – Pool via CNP \/ MEGA<\/p>\n Dr. Mehmet Oz<\/strong> was America’s favorite TV doctor for years before he became a government official in the Trump administration. Oz also ran as a Republican for U.S. Senator in Pennsylvania back in 2022, losing out to Democrat John Fetterman<\/strong>.<\/p>\n ZUMAPRESS.com \/ MEGA<\/p>\n Kid Rock<\/strong> has made no secret of his unyielding support for Donald Trump, but the singer has also seemingly had some political aspirations of his own, having previously mentioned<\/a> running for senator and for president \u2014 but he has never launched a campaign.<\/p>\n ZUMAPRESS.com \/ MEGA<\/p>\n Caitlyn Jenner<\/a><\/strong> is a controversial figure (for proof, just see her extremely awkward encounter<\/a> with Lady Gaga<\/a><\/strong> circa 2022), so it’s perhaps not all that surprising that she lost her run for governor of California in the 2021 recall election. The TV personality came in 13th<\/a> with 1 percent of the votes.<\/p>\n MBS\/MEGA<\/p>\n The Bachelor’s Ben Higgins<\/strong> tried to run as a Republican state representative in Denver circa 2016, but ultimately withdrew<\/a> his candidacy within days of beginning his campaign. Looking back on that time in 2021, Higgins said<\/a>, “The Republican party looked a lot different back then than it does today. I’m not naive to that. In fact, I’m an unaffiliated voter at this point because I no longer align with the complete Republican agenda, especially when it comes to the way we speak about humans and the way social issues are discussed.”<\/p>\n Xavier Collin\/Image Press Agency \/ MEGA<\/p>\n There has been so much talk about Moana actor Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson<\/a><\/strong> potentially running for president over the years. As of yet? No campaign. In 2023, Johnson revealed<\/a> that several parties had asked him to run and considered him a potentially very serious candidate, but the Hollywood star had no interest at the time. “My goal has never been to be in politics. As a matter of fact, there’s a lot about politics that I hate,” he said. Still, never say never<\/a>.<\/p>\n ZUMAPRESS.com \/ MEGA<\/p>\n Basketball legend, TV star, musician and DJ Shaquille “Shaq” O’Neal<\/strong> is an unlikely political candidate, given that he admitted<\/a> to voting for the first time in his life in 2020 at the age of 48. However, back in 2017, O’Neal had teased<\/a> wanting to run for sheriff, and he’s since openly supported<\/a> Donald Trump, so a future political campaign may not be totally out of the question.<\/p>\n Barry A. Soorenko – CNP \/ MEGA<\/p>\n In what amounted to quite the career pivot, original child star Shirley Temple<\/strong> \u2014 who in the 1930s delighted audiences in Hollywood movies and eventually gave her name to a famous mocktail \u2014 soon went on to become a politician and diplomat. She ran as a Republican for the U.S. House in 1967, unsuccessfully, and served as an ambassador to both Ghana and Czechoslovakia, per Politico<\/a>.<\/p>\n Alison Brown\/imageSPACE \/ MEGA<\/p>\n Back in 2010, the Haitian-born rapper Wyclef Jean<\/strong> tried to run<\/a> for president of Haiti, but his bid was turned down. He clearly remained interested in politics, though, weighing in<\/a> on the Donald Trump presidency back in 2017.<\/p>\n Ron Adar \/ M10s \/ MEGA<\/p>\n The famous radio interviewer Howard Stern<\/strong> has had a bit of a rocky relationship with politics over the years. He was much more right-wing in the ’90s, and even ran<\/a> for New York governor in 1994 as a Libertarian, but these days, he describes<\/a> his politics as “woke.” In 2022, when the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, Stern claimed<\/a> he would run for president.<\/p>\n Xavier Collin\/Image Press Agency \/ MEGA<\/p>\n Legend of western cinema Clint Eastwood<\/strong> became mayor of Carmel-by-the-Sea, Calif., in 1986, winning<\/a> his election by a landslide in a major voter turnout. He served for two years and did not seek re-election.<\/p>\n TRF\/ MEGA<\/p>\n You probably know Jerry Springer<\/strong> as a talk show host, but the celeb also served<\/a> as mayor of Cincinnati, Ohio, between 1977 and 1978.<\/p>\n MEGA TheMegaAgency.com<\/p>\n Stephen Colbert<\/strong> launched<\/a> a joke presidential campaign in 2008, but that doesn’t mean people don’t consider him a viable option. Asked about it in 2025, ahead of his show ending, Colbert expressed that running for president wouldn’t be a good idea. “I understand why you’d want me to,” he said<\/a>. “I’d have to discuss with my faith leader and my family to see if, once my service on the Late Show ends in May, if I could be of some greater service to this nation that I love so much.”<\/p>\n Snorlax \/ MEGA<\/p>\n Teen Mom alum Farrah Abraham<\/strong> announced<\/a> her run for mayor of Austin in 2026… even though the election was actually scheduled for 2028. Oops! Upon learning of her mistake, she understandably withdrew her “candidacy.” Instead, she chose to pursue a seat on the city council.<\/p>\n @CelebCandidly\/ Snorlax \/ MEGA<\/p>\n Over the last few years, Kanye West<\/strong> has aligned himself closely with Donald Trump’s politics. However, he ran for president<\/a> against Trump in 2020, and again announced<\/a> his candidacy in 2024, though he didn’t end up going through with it.<\/p>\n
These A-listers may have started off in showbiz, but some of them went on to become presidents and mayors… while others have only floated the idea of someday running for office.
Keep reading to find out more…
MORE: Follow Wonderwall on celebrity.land for more top news<\/a><\/p>\n<\/span><\/div>\n
Ronald Reagan<\/h3>\n
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Cynthia Nixon<\/h3>\n
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Arnold Schwarzenegger<\/h3>\n
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Donald Trump<\/h3>\n
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Ben Savage<\/h3>\n
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Matthew McConaughey<\/h3>\n
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Clay Aiken<\/h3>\n
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Anson Williams<\/h3>\n
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Jim Bob Duggar<\/h3>\n
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Dr. Mehmet Oz<\/h3>\n
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Kid Rock<\/h3>\n
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Caitlyn Jenner<\/h3>\n
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Ben Higgins<\/h3>\n
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Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson<\/h3>\n
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Shaquille O’Neal<\/h3>\n
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Shirley Temple<\/h3>\n
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Wyclef Jean<\/h3>\n
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Howard Stern<\/h3>\n
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Clint Eastwood<\/h3>\n
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Jerry Springer<\/h3>\n
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Stephen Colbert<\/h3>\n
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Farrah Abraham<\/h3>\n
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Kanye West<\/h3>\n